1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) network. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and a system for delivering multicasting data services on different wavelengths using a configurable four-port wavelength selective crossbar switch (4WCS).
2. Description of the Related Art
Multicasting is achieved by duplicating multicast packets multiple times for each receiver in a traditional data communication network, but this approach has the disadvantage of creating a bottleneck at the multicast server. There are also proposals for generating a virtual tree network architecture and broadcast data on the virtual tree. Nevertheless, these proposals incur signaling difficulties and Quality of Service issues, such as local bandwidth bottlenecks and latency issues.
Rapid improvements in the cost and performance has made wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) technology an attractive technology for regional and metropolitan area networks. See, for example, A. A. M. Saleh et al., “Architectural Principles of Optical Regional and Metropolitan Access Networks,” J. Lightwave Technology, Vol. 17, No. 12, p 2431–2448, December  1999.
Accordingly, what is needed is a technique for multicasting in an optical telecommunication network in which the multicast signal is duplicated on multiple wavelengths in a WDM system using a shared common remote modulator. Additionally, what is needed is a technique for changing the multicast group by dynamically configuring the wavelengths reaching the remote modulator using a wavelength selective crossbar switch.